Ministry of Social Development looking to continue Community Development programmes.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development Janelle Lewis has disclosed that her Ministry is looking at ways to further enhance the skill sets within the various communities.

This comes as a number of pregnant teen mothers recently graduated from a training session that enhances educational skills which would allow them to join the local workforce.

She said the Ministry currently undertakes several programes in communities around the Federation and that officers from the Department of Community Development are expected to venture out to various locations to assess their needs.

Based on those assessments, she told The Observer that the community officers will draft a profile on how best the Ministry would be able assist the communities.

Additionally, she intimated that coming out of those visits priority needs would be established and the government would work towards providing for those needs.

She further said that in certain instances training programes are provided to those community groups and that important information is passed on to various groups that may be seeking funding to carry out projects in their respective districts.

She added that the Ministry has found a number of groups within the various communities lack the knowledge on how to go about seeking funding for important projects.

A number of international donor groups have expressed interest in having various community groups apply to them for funding, and it is at the point that the Ministry of Social and Community Development seeks to assist.

“Once we get the necessary information, we try to share as much of it as possible with the community groups that are registered with us,” she declared.

In some instances, the Ministry will seek to assist groups financially if funds are available, but she urged groups to register with the Ministry so they will be in its database.